Raymart Walker given diplomatic post with Home Affairs in Southeast Asia

A young man who grew up on a farm near Gympie has made it on the global stage after chasing his dream and beating the odds that were stacked against him. This is his inspiring story:

Raymart Walker has gone global with a new diplomatic post in Southeast Asia with the Department of Home Affairs and Trade. Picture: The University of the Sunshine Coast

Born and bred Gympie man Raymart Walker has stepped onto the world stage in his new diplomatic position with the Department of Home Affairs and Trade in Southeast Asia.

Mr Walker grew up on a farm near Gympie before enrolling in a teaching degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast when he finished high school.

“I spent all my life in Gympie until I graduated Grade 12… my parents and I went to Brisbane every now and then, but we didn’t really interact with the wider world so to speak,” he said.

“Mum’s Filipino and Dad’s Yugoslavian, but despite having culturally diverse parents and learning about the world through their eyes, the only careers I was exposed to as a child were teaching, and cleaning - my dad was a cleaner - and I knew I didn’t want to be a cleaner.

“Mum would always joke, ‘Well, you won’t be a farmer when you grow up, so you’re going to have to study hard and go to university,’ but that comment ended up propelling me toward the life I have now.”

After spending two semesters in Japan on the prestigious New Colombo Plan scholarship, his career ambitions transformed and he decided to work towards a degree in International Studies.

The DFAT website says the NCP scholarship “provides scholarships to a diverse cohort of Australian university students to undertake offshore programs including study, internships, mentorships, and language training for up to 19 months in eligible Indo-Pacific host locations”.

Its aim is to “strengthen Australia’s regional standing by building a diverse cohort of Australian alumni with deeper Indo-Pacific knowledge, capability and connections”.

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Former Gympie man Raymart Walker is pictured with former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and former Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, receiving his NCP scholarship. Picture: The University of the Sunshine Coast

After completing his tertiary studies, Mr Walker applied for a number of graduate jobs with the Australian government with no luck.

He then decided to try his chances with the “almost impossible to get into” graduate program with the Department of Home Affairs and Trade, and was successful and received an offer.

Since then, he has been rubbing shoulders with global leaders at exclusive international summits, supported climate diplomacy initiatives, and working on large projects such as the Southeast Asia policy with DFAT.

In endorsing the Sunshine Coast University, he has encouraged anyone with a dream to “put yourself out there and jump off the metaphorical cliff to experience those things you never thought were possible”.

Gympie is very proud to have one of its sons step out onto the world stage and represent his community and country around the globe.

Originally published as Raymart Walker given diplomatic post with Home Affairs in Southeast Asia